When it reaches the other end, the router at at that end will translate the public IP address back into the relevant private IP address to make sure it gets to the receiving console on it’s own local home network. When a device such as a games console tries to send something to a console on another local network, the NAT process steps in and converts the private IP back to the public IP so the data can be send out on the wider internet and get where it needs to go. This is where NAT comes in as it effectively acts as a bridge between public and private IP addresses and allows devices on a home network to communicate with the outside world. Since there are so many billions of connected devices in the world now, even the four billion or so unique addresses that can be used with the standard IP address format ( format, with each value between 0 and 255) is nowhere near enough for every device worldwide to have one single unique IP address.įor this reason a single “Public” IP address is given to a specific local network like a household or business, and the router on that local network then assigns “Private” IP address to each device within that local network, such as laptops, phones and games consoles within your home. It basically stems from the fact that devices that are connected to the internet have to have both a public and a private IP address. To provide a little more detail, NAT type is essentially a translation process used by routers to connect devices on a home network with other devices on the internet. NAT type resolves the issue of there not being enough unique IPv4 addresses in the world by converting a a public IP address (82.10.250.19) into a private IP address and range (192.168.0.1-255) so it can then dish out the private (local network) IP addresses you see in the image to each device on the home network (Image credit – Milesjpool – Wikimedia Commons). Let’s look at the issue in more detail now. Open NAT Type (Type 1) is the best for console gaming and is important for getting the best possible connection to servers and other consoles and therefore minimizing connectivity issues online. NAT stands for Network Address Translation and is a crucial connectivity setting for online gaming as it determines how freely a games console can connect with other devices on the web.

But what is NAT and why is it important to online gaming?

Many gamers will have noticed NAT Type displayed in certain connection settings of their consoles, and also occasionally in connectivity error messages around lobbies and chat parties.

How to change nat type to open uverse